Maryland Accreditation stands as a testament to your early childhood child care program’s dedication to superior education and care. For licensed child care centers and public pre-kindergarten programs in Maryland, achieving accreditation is a powerful way to demonstrate a commitment to high-quality learning environments. (Please note that Family Child Care programs are not currently eligible for Maryland Accreditation).
What is Accreditation For Early Childhood Child Care Programs in Maryland?
Maryland Accreditation is a voluntary process designed to recognize and support early childhood programs that meet rigorous quality standards. It serves as a framework for continuous improvement and a public declaration of your program’s commitment to excellence. By pursuing accreditation, your program embarks on a journey of self-reflection, strategic planning, and ongoing enhancement of your services.
Programs seeking Maryland Accreditation utilize a comprehensive approach, incorporating several key elements:
- Maryland Accreditation Standards: These standards, specifically tailored for early childhood and school-age programs, provide a clear benchmark for quality in various aspects of program operation.
- Self-Appraisal: This crucial step involves a thorough evaluation of your program’s strengths and areas for growth, incorporating valuable insights from staff and families.
- Program Improvement Plan (PIP): Based on the self-appraisal, the Program Improvement Plan serves as a roadmap for implementing targeted improvements to enhance program quality.
- Final Self-Appraisal: After implementing the PIP, a final self-appraisal documents the progress made and provides evidence of meeting accreditation standards.
- Technical Assistance (Optional): Programs can access optional support through remote or onsite Technical Assistance to guide them through the accreditation process.
- Validation Visit: A Validation Visit provides an opportunity for observation and feedback, ensuring alignment with Maryland Accreditation standards.
The Substantial Benefits of Maryland Accreditation
Achieving Maryland Accreditation unlocks a range of significant benefits for early childhood child care programs, enhancing their operational effectiveness and community standing:
- Maryland EXCELS Quality Rating 5 Eligibility: Accreditation automatically qualifies programs for the highest Quality Rating, Level 5, within the Maryland EXCELS (Excellence Counts in Early Learning Settings) quality rating and improvement system.
- Enhanced EXCELS Payments: Higher quality ratings in Maryland EXCELS are directly linked to increased payments, providing accredited programs with greater financial resources.
- Access to Accreditation Support Funds: Accreditation Support Funds are specifically available to help programs cover the costs associated with purchasing instructional materials and resources needed for accreditation.
- Participation in Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood PLUS: Accredited programs gain eligibility to participate in the prestigious Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood PLUS program, expanding access to military families.
- Improved Staff and Family Engagement: The accreditation process fosters a collaborative environment, increasing engagement among staff and families as they work together towards program improvement.
- Demonstrated Commitment to Excellence: Maryland Accreditation publicly signifies your program’s unwavering dedication to providing exceptional services to families and the community, building trust and enhancing your reputation.
Navigating the Accreditation Process
The Maryland Accreditation journey is structured as a comprehensive 24-month process, guiding programs through each stage of meeting the established standards. This timeline ensures thorough preparation and implementation, culminating in an Accreditation Decision.
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Upon successful completion, Maryland Accreditation is awarded for a five-year period, recognizing the sustained quality of the program. To maintain accredited status, programs submit an Annual Update for the first three years, near the anniversary of their award date. Re-accreditation begins 24 months before the expiration date, starting with the Maryland Accreditation Orientation, ensuring continuous quality improvement. No Annual Update is required in the fourth year as programs are engaged in the re-accreditation process.
Financial Assistance Through Accreditation Support Funds
Recognizing the investment required for accreditation, support funds are available to ease the financial aspect of this quality enhancement endeavor. Exploring these funds is a valuable step for programs embarking on the accreditation journey.
Learn more about Accreditation Support Funds
Ready to Take the First Step?
Initiating your program’s path to Maryland Accreditation begins with completing the self-paced orientation. This orientation provides essential information and guidance to start your accreditation journey effectively.
Leveraging Technical Assistance for Program Enhancement
Maryland Accreditation offers valuable Technical Assistance to support programs throughout the accreditation process. This assistance is available in several formats:
- Virtual Technical Assistance: Sessions focused on Program Administration (Section 1) and Home and Community Partnerships (Section 3) are delivered virtually for convenient access.
- Onsite Technical Assistance: For Program Operation (Section 2), onsite visits provide tailored support within your program environment.
The Maryland Accreditation Online System User Guide offers detailed instructions on requesting and managing Technical Assistance. Refer to the Maryland Accreditation Online System Overview video for step-by-step guidance on accessing the User Guide.
